A decision of a judge or jury that the defendant is not guilty of the offense for which he/she has been tried.

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A Juvenile Court proceeding held in front of a judge or hearing officer, to determine if the juvenile committed the crime or any portion of the crime with which he/she is charged. The court may determine at the time of adjudication whether the juvenile is in need of treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation.

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A formal request to a higher court for a reversal or change of the judgment of a lower court.

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The appearance of a person before a court in order that the court may inform him/her of the accusation(s) against them. A defendant enters their plea at this time (see also ?plea?).

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Taking a person into custody by authority of law, for the purpose of charging him/her with a criminal offense or for the purpose of starting legal proceedings.

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A part of the Pennsylvania Juvenile Act which is based on the concept that the clients of the juvenile justice system include the victim, community and the offender, and that each should receive ?balanced attention? and gain benefits from their interactions with the juvenile justice system.

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Money or property promised or given to the court to insure the presence of the defendant in all future criminal proceedings. Factors the judge considers in setting the amount of bond include whether the defendant is likely to flee, and whether the defendant presents a danger to the community. Bond is forfeited (given up) if the defendant fails to return to court.

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A police administrative action officially recording the arrest and identifying the person, place, time, the arresting authority and the reason for the arrest.

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A formal allegation (claim) that a specific person has committed a specific offense(s).

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The performance of unpaid work, usually in a social service setting, aimed specifically at restoring the victim and community for the harm caused by an offender?s activity.

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A formal written statement filed in court by any person, often a prosecutor or a victim, which accuses a specific person of committing a specific crime.

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The client?s right that a professional will hold secret all information relating to the client, unless the client gives consent allowing information to be revealed (see CVVC Confidentiality Policy information).

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A juvenile offender may be offered a consent decree which places the offender on probation for no more than six months (unless extended). It is an agreement based on the juvenile meeting specific requirements, such as attending school on a daily basis, paying restitution, and/or performing community service. If the juvenile violates the consent decree by failing to meet requirements, or by having another arrest, a case may be scheduled for an adjudicatory hearing.

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Each separate offense, charged to one or more persons as listed in a complaint, information or indictment.

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A person against whom a criminal proceeding is pending. The offender will be called a ?defendant? in court.

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A privately retained (defendant hires) or courtappointed lawyer that will prepare and defend an accused?s case. Court-appointed attorneys are either Public Defenders or private attorneys who are assigned and retained by the county to represent defendants with low incomes.

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An act designated a crime under Pennsylvania or Federal law. A crime committed by a juvenile may be called a delinquent act.

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A child ten years of age or older whom the court has found to have committed a delinquent act and is in need of treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation.

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The legal confinement (keeping someone in custody) of a person subject to criminal or juvenile proceedings.

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A decision by a judge or judicial officer to terminate a case without a decision of guilt or innocence. If a case is dismissed, the proceedings end and no further action is taken.

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The outcome of a case. The ultimate resolution of a criminal matter. The word ?Disposition? is often used in Juvenile Court.

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A more serious crime which has a greater punishment imposed by statute than that imposed on a misdemeanor. Usually punishable by death or imprisonment in state prison. In Pennsylvania, felonies may be of the first, second, or third degree.

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A court or administratively granted period of leave from incarceration or other supervision for a limited period and defined purpose.

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The proceeding before a judicial officer in which arguments, witnesses or evidence are presented and in which it is determined whether there is enough cause to hold the accused for trial, or the case should be dismissed.

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Any killing of one person by another without justification (reason) or excuse (also see ?murder? and ?manslaughter?).

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The confinement (held in custody) of a defendant to any federal, state, or local penal facility (for example: state prison or county jail).

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An agreement reached between the victim and the juvenile offender with the assistance of a juvenile probation officer. This agreement is reached ?out of court?. Once the juvenile meets the conditions of the agreement, no court record exists.

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The term used for Preliminary Hearing in the case of homicide.

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The court process during which a juvenile referral is received and a decision is made either to file a petition, to release the juvenile, or to place him/her under informal adjustment.

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The procedure by which the facts and evidence of a crime are collected, processed, and gathered for formal presentation in a court proceeding.

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A public official who hears and decides cases brought before a court of law.

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The territory, subject matter, or person over which lawful authority may be exercised. The authority of a court to hear or act upon a case from its beginning and to pass judgment on it.

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A body of 12 persons sworn to give a verdict, or true answer, on a question or criminal charges officially presented to them. Juries are chosen by both the Prosecutor and Defense Attorney. The defendant has the choice of whether to be tried by the judge alone or a jury of peers. There must be a unanimous verdict of guilty or not guilty among 12 jurors. If all jurors cannot agree on a verdict, the judge may declare a mistrial due to a ?hung jury?. If a trial results in a hung jury, there may be another trial.

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A person who is under an age fixed by law (under 18) ? a juvenile offender?s case will be heard by Juvenile Court unless being tried as an adult in the criminal system.

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The commonly used term for the court of jurisdiction over juvenile matters, which is the Court of Common Pleas.

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A civil officer with power to administer and enforce law ? will hold preliminary hearings. Magisterial District Judges will have limited jurisdiction (specific geographic area where the crime was committed).

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A minimum sentence established by the Pennsylvania Legislature for specific crimes. An offender shall at least serve this sentence.

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Causing the death of another person either unintentionally (by accident) because of recklessness or gross neglect or intentionally (on purpose) but with provocation (aggravation) that a reasonable person would find extreme.

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A person commits involuntary manslaughter when as a direct result of doing an unlawful act in a reckless manner, or the doing of a lawful act in a reckless manner, causes the death of another person.

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A person who kills an individual without lawful justification (reason) commits voluntary manslaughter if at the time of the killing, he/she is acting under a sudden intense passion resulting from serious provocation (aggravation) by 1) the individual killed, or 2) another whom the actor endeavors to kill, but accidentally kills another individual.

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An attorney appointed and authorized by the court to hear the facts and decide issues in juvenile proceedings (delinquency and dependency hearings).

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Pennsylvania?s Megan?s Law, 42 Pa.C.S. ? 9799.1, requires the State Police to create and maintain a registry of persons who have either been convicted of, entered a plea of guilty to, or adjudicated delinquent of certain sex offenses listed in 42 Pa.C.S. ?? 9795.1 and 9795.2. Additionally, the Pennsylvania State Police is required to make certain information on registered sex offenders available to the public through an internet website.

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A more minor crime that carries a less severe punishment than a felony; most often punishable by a fine, or by a term of imprisonment in a county jail. In Pennsylvania, a misdemeanor may be of the first, second, or third degree.

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Intentionally (on purpose) causing the death of another person without extreme provocation (aggravation) or legal justification (reason), or causing the death of another while committing or attempting to commit another crime.

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A criminal homicide constitutes murder of the first degree when it is committed by an intentional killing.

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A criminal homicide constitutes murder of the second degree when it is committed while the defendant is committing or attempting to commit another felony crime.

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All other kinds of murder shall be classified as murder in the third degree.

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A court order which states that the offender is not permitted to have contact with a specific person(s) ? usually the victim. Contact is not permitted in person, by telephone, fax, email, letter, etc.

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A decision made by the Assistant District Attorney not to continue with the prosecution of a particular charge or case.

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A formal plea in court wherein the defendant maintains that he will not contest the charges being brought against him.

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The act of calling on a supreme being to witness the truth of what one says or does. This is a legal obligation to tell the truth when testifying.

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The person who is being accused of and/or committed the crime (also known as the defendant in court).

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To release (a person) from punishment; excused from penalty.

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The status of an offender conditionally released from incarceration (For example: released from state prison) prior to the end of his/her sentence and placed under the supervision of a parole agency.

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A document filed in Juvenile Court giving the facts that bring the child within the jurisdiction of the court and stating that it is in the best interest of the child and the public that the proceeding be brought and, if delinquency is alleged (suspected), that the child is in need of treatment, supervision, or rehabilitation.

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A defendant?s formal answer in court to the charges being brought against him/her. In Pennsylvania, a defendant may plead guilty, not guilty, nolo contendre or guilty but mentally ill.

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To make an agreement in which a defendant pleads guilty to certain charges, usually lesser charges, in exchange for an agreed upon sentence.

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The document resulting from an investigation completed by a probation agency at the request of a criminal court, into the past behavior, family circumstances, and personality of an adult who has been convicted in order to assist the court in determining the most appropriate sentence. Pre-Sentence Reports may include a Victim Impact Statement.

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Reasonable grounds for belief that an accused person may be subject to arrest or the issuance of a warrant.

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The act of ordering a person convicted of a criminal offense to be under the supervision of a Probation Officer. There may be certain conditions that are imposed by the Judge or the Probation Department. If these conditions are not satisfied, then the offender may be charged with a Violation of Probation and a warrant for his/her arrest may be issued.

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An officer appointed to investigate, report on, and supervise the conduct of convicted offenders on probation.

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An attorney employed by a government agency whose official duty is to begin and continue criminal proceedings on behalf of the government against persons accused of committing criminal offenses.

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An attorney employed by a government agency whose official duty is to represent defendants unable to hire private counsel/attorney.

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The release of an accused person who has been taken into custody, upon his promise to pay a certain sum of money or property if he fails to appear in court as required, which promise may or may not be secured by the deposit of an actual sum of money or property.

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The release of an accused person who has been taken into custody, upon his promise to appear in court as required for criminal proceedings. No sum of money or property is required.

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A monetary or non-monetary commitment on the part of the offender, ordered by the court, whereby the victim or community is compensated for a loss caused by the actions of the offender.

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The penalty imposed by a court upon a convicted person.

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A written notice of the court requiring a specified person to appear in a designated court at a specified time in order to serve as a witness in a case or to bring material to that court.

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In Pennsylvania, a lesser violation of law (less serious than a felony or misdemeanor) punishable by imprisonment of up to 90 days and/or a fine.

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The examination of issues of fact and law in a case beginning when the jury has been selected in a jury trial, or when the first witness is sworn, or the first evidence introduced in a court trial, and concluding when a verdict is reached or the case is dismissed.

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The geographical area from which the jury is drawn and in which a trial or hearing is held in a criminal action.

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In criminal proceedings, the decision made by a jury in a jury trial, or by a judge in a court trial, that a defendant is either guilty or not guilty of the offense(s) for which he/she has been tried. In Pennsylvania, judges and juries may also return verdicts of guilty but mentally ill, or not guilty by reason of insanity in cases where the insanity defense has been raised.

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Written or oral information about the impact of the crime on the victim and the victim?s family. Victim impact statements are most commonly used at sentencing. Such statements provide a means for the court to refocus its attention, at least momentarily, on the human cost of the crime. They also provide a way for the victim to participate in the criminal and juvenile justice processes. The right to make an impact statement generally is extended beyond the direct victim to homicide survivors, the parent or guardian of a minor victim, and the guardian or representative of an incompetent or incapacitated victim. (Resource: National Center for Victims of Crime Website)

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A document issued by a judge which directs a law enforcement officer to arrest a person who has been accused of an offense.

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A document issued by a judge directing that a person who has failed to obey an order or notice appear or be brought before the court.

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A person who has directly seen an event, such as a crime, or thing, such as a physical piece of evidence, or who has other knowledge that is related to a court case. Victims are primary witnesses for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

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